Abstract: A structure and method provide cables of high-temperature superconducting flat tape and/or filament wires, with a small bending diameter. A cable has a former having cross section that includes a rectangle having rounded ends (i.e. an obround), and the flat tape is wound around the surface of the former at an angle to minimize bending. The former surface may have raised helical ribs or lowered grooves to provide tape registration in multi-layer configurations. Tape may be wound from a spool onto the former under tension, and cut with a laser cutter to produce fine filaments immediately before winding. The former may be slit longitudinally to prevent loop eddy currents and reduce AC losses. The wound cable may be jacketed to provide a cable-in-conduit conductor (CICC), and coolant channels may be provided in the jacket or in the former.

Abstract: A structure and method provide cables of high-temperature superconducting flat tape and/or filament wires, with a small bending diameter. A cable has a former having cross section that includes a rectangle having rounded ends (i.e. an obround), and the flat tape is wound around the surface of the former at an angle to minimize bending. The former surface may have raised helical ribs or lowered grooves to provide tape registration in multi-layer configurations. Tape may be wound from a spool onto the former under tension, and cut with a laser cutter to produce fine filaments immediately before winding. The former may be slit longitudinally to prevent loop eddy currents and reduce AC losses. The wound cable may be jacketed to provide a cable-in-conduit conductor (CICC), and coolant channels may be provided in the jacket or in the former.

Abstract: The present system and method allow for the detection and diagnosis of abrupt changes of a device operating condition using a sensor array disposed in the coolant where the device is located. The purpose of the sensor array is to identify, in real time, abrupt changes quickly and detect the location of the incident. It may be used, for example, for quench detection of superconducting cables and magnets. This system and method are not only limited to use with superconducting conductors such as magnets, power transmission cables, SMES, MRI, motors and generators, but could also be used for any electric devices disposed in liquid or gas. It can also be used for a liquid level meter. Further, this system and method are not limited to low temperature devices, but may also be used in room temperature or elevated higher temperature devices disposed in gas and/or liquid.

Abstract: A novel system and method for detecting a quench of a superconducting conductor and detecting abnormal behavior of a superconducting conductor using acoustic sensor technology in the coolant of a superconducting cable and/or magnet is disclosed. This system and method is not only limited to use for superconductors, but also may be used for any device disposed in liquid and gas. Acoustic sensors are installed along a coolant space of a superconducting conductor and monitor coolant conditions. By monitoring acoustic changes, temperature changes or coolant flow disruption can be detected very quickly by an acoustic sensor array. By disposition of the acoustic sensor array in a coolant flow channel, the acoustic sensor system can quickly detect a local condition, such as the thermal status (temperature) of a superconducting cable and magnet with precise spatial resolution.

Abstract: A novel system and method for detecting a quench of a superconducting conductor and detecting abnormal behavior of a superconducting conductor using acoustic sensor technology in the coolant of a superconducting cable and/or magnet is disclosed. This system and method is not only limited to use for superconductors, but also may be used for any device disposed in liquid and gas. Acoustic sensors are installed along a coolant space of a superconducting conductor and monitor coolant conditions. By monitoring acoustic changes, temperature changes or coolant flow disruption can be detected very quickly by an acoustic sensor array. By disposition of the acoustic sensor array in a coolant flow channel, the acoustic sensor system can quickly detect a local condition, such as the thermal status (temperature) of a superconducting cable and magnet with precise spatial resolution.

Abstract: A method for winding a coil magnet with the stacked tape cables, and a coil so wound. The winding process is controlled and various shape coils can be wound by twisting about the longitudinal axis of the cable and bending following the easy bend direction during winding, so that sharp local bending can be obtained by adjusting the twist pitch. Stack-tape cable is twisted while being wound, instead of being twisted in a straight configuration and then wound. In certain embodiments, the straight length should be half of the cable twist-pitch or a multiple of it.

Abstract: A superconducting cable for power lead and transmission applications is disclosed. The high performance power cable comprises two type of different superconducting cable structures arranged co-axially, and the magnetic fields of their transport currents mutually enhance their performances. A further object is a power distribution cable that minimizes the cryogenic losses by a design of the compact cable cross-sections.

Abstract: A method for winding a coil magnet with the stacked tape cables, and a coil so wound. The winding process is controlled and various shape coils can be wound by twisting about the longitudinal axis of the cable and bending following the easy bend direction during winding, so that sharp local bending can be obtained by adjusting the twist pitch. Stack-tape cable is twisted while being wound, instead of being twisted in a straight configuration and then wound. In certain embodiments, the straight length should be half of the cable twist-pitch or a multiple of it.

Abstract: An advanced steering wheel is disclosed, where most of the surface area of the invented steering wheel, with the exception of the outer wheel ring, does not need to rotate. In this way, the central part of the steering wheel can be used for various purposes, such as information displays, various devices (such as cell phones, GPS receiver), etc. as well as the air bag and horn pad. Unlike rotational spokes and the hub of a conventional steering wheel, the inventive steeling wheel uses a mechanical coupling device such as a gear system or a belt and pulley system. When a vehicle driver rotates the steering wheel ring, the rotational driving motion is transferred to the steering shaft spindle by the mechanical coupling devices, which are mounted under the steering wheel surface. The surface area of the steering wheel can be used for various utility consoles and accessories.

Abstract: Superconductor cable having a plurality of flat, tape-shaped ribbon superconductor wires assembled to form a stack having a rectangular cross section, the stack having a twist about a longitudinal axis of the stack. Multiple superconductor cables including twisted stacked-cables of the flat-tape-shaped superconductor wires, and power cable comprising the twisted flat-tape stacked cables are disclosed. Superconducting power cable disposed within and separated from an electrical insulator with a space passing cryo-coolant between the superconducting cable and insulator is also disclosed.

Abstract: An advanced steering wheel is disclosed, where most of the surface area of the invented steering wheel, with the exception of the outer wheel ring, does not need to rotate. In this way, the central part of the steering wheel can be used for various purposes, such as information displays, various devices (such as cell phones, GPS receiver), etc. as well as the air bag and horn pad. Unlike rotational spokes and the hub of a conventional steering wheel, the inventive steeling wheel uses a mechanical coupling device such as a gear system or a belt and pulley system. When a vehicle driver rotates the steering wheel ring, the rotational driving motion is transferred to the steering shaft spindle by the mechanical coupling devices, which are mounted under the steering wheel surface. The surface area of the steering wheel can be used for various utility consoles and accessories.

Abstract: Superconductor cable having a plurality of flat, tape-shaped ribbon superconductor wires assembled to form a stack having a rectangular cross section, the stack having a twist about a longitudinal axis of the stack. Multiple superconductor cables including twisted stacked-cables of the flat-tape-shaped superconductor wires, and power cable comprising the twisted flat-tape stacked cables are disclosed. Superconducting power cable disposed within and separated from an electrical insulator with a space passing cryo-coolant between the superconducting cable and insulator is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for magnetically separating particles from a liquid, which particles include diamagnetic, non-magnetic and/or very weakly paramagnetic particles. To achieve separation, the magnetic susceptibility of the liquid is modified, such as through dissolving a paramagnetic substance (such as manganese chloride) or a diamagnetic substance (such as bismuth diiodide) in a liquid (such as water, alcohol or glycerine), after which the modified paramagnetic liquid is passed through a filter formed of magnetic material in a magnetic field with the filter being preferably formed of ferromagnetic material establishing a high gradient magnetic filter.

Abstract: A method of magnetically separating particles having different magnetic susceptibilities. A magnetic field is established in a colloidal suspension of magnetic particles which distribute to form a magnetic susceptibility gradient. The particles to be separated are introduced into the colloidal suspension. The introduced particles migrate along the magnetic susceptibility gradient to different regions having approximately the same magnetic susceptibilities as the introduced particles.